Using Alexa to turn Hot Water on and Off

[JulesNest]

Please may I ask, what do I say to Alexa, to get my Nest to turn on and off Hot Water? I was told Nest was controllable from Alexa, that's why I installed it. I am beginning to think it isn't for Hot Water.

Regards,

Julian

[OannaCG]

Hi there, thanks for reaching out! In this case, you can't control the hot water using vocal commands. Check out this link in order to find out what you can currently do with voice commands here. Please let me know if there's anything else I can assist you with. 

[JulesNest]

Please may I ask when this will work?

This problem is not made clear when purchasing. If you are not going to sort it out, you should make it absolutely clear at the point of purchasing that it is not possible. It is not clear and I bought thinking that I would be able to do this, which is not ok.

Please tell me which you are going to do: get it to work or make it clear it doesn't work at the point of sale?

Regards,

Julian

[OannaCG]

There's a public article (the one that I sent you above) that clearly states what features of the thermostat can be controlled by voice commands. At the moment we don't have any information about some new features, therefore I'm not able to answer your question. However, please rest assured that you can always follow up with us on our latest updates. 

[JulesNest]

Where is that article?

Publically, you state, at the point of sale that the thermostat can be voice controlled. But that's not true, it can be partially voice controlled. So you are saying it does something it doesn't. It's  not ok to do that. It is up to you, the seller, to ensure that the buyer is not misled. 

You need either to get voice control working or specifically to say which bits don't work. Which bits can't actually be voice controlled.

If you don't make this clear to purchasers, at the time they purchase, you are being dishonest and in breech of consumer law.

Please, either fix the voice control for HW or make it clear in your blurb, at the point of sale, that voice control does not actually work for HW.

Do Google Nest really want people buying one of their products under a misapprehension caused by their inadequate marketing information?

Do I need to contact trading standards?

I ask again, will you fix it or make it clear it doesn't work? It's one or the other or you are deliberately being misleading and I am sure Google do not want to mislead.

Regards,

Julian 

[JulesNest]

I have just read the article to which you refer. It does not mention hot water, HW, at all. It categorically does not state that HW cannot be controlled by voice. Is this stated clearly anywhere? It needs to be to avoid misleading anyone please.

Google Nest, if they claim their thermostats are voice controllable, need to say, at the same time that HW is not voice controllable, otherwise they are being misleading, they are deliberately lying to potential buyers.

Please, either fix this problem, or make it clear, at the point of sale, that it is a problem. Even if the support article actually said that HW voice control is not possible, that would not be adequate, buyers don't read support articles when deciding whether to buy. If Google do not say at the same time, with the same emphasis or highlighting as the "Voice Controllable" statements that HW cannot be voice controlled, Google are clearly misleading potential buyers. That is a breach of UK consumer law.

Google are now aware of that. If they do nothing about it, that then potentially becomes a criminal act that the directors can be held personally liable for.

Google are misleading consumers and they know they are doing so.

You must say HW is not voice controllable, if you do not say this,.you are being dishonest if you also say the Thermostat is voice controllable - half of it just isn't so this is a lie.

Or you could fix it.l, of course.

Regards,

Julian

Please may I ask you to forward this to your legal director and confirm.

[OannaCG]

I understand. I can't comment on legal matters, but I can get in touch with the department in charge. Therefore, please check your inbox because I sent you an email and reply to it with your request in order to escalate it further. 

[Vladut]

Hi there, just checking in with you. Did you manage to check the above message?

[Vladut]

Hey there, I haven't heard from you in a while so I'll be locking this thread. If you have any new issues, updates or just a discussion topic, feel free to start a new thread in the community. Thanks